Page 9 of Between Now & Heartbreak

“Let’s go!” Dina jumps out before I can demand she turn around and take me back home.

“Dina!” I call after her already retreating back, she stops and turns back.

I step out of the car and my stilettos sink into the mud.

“Ugh, my shoes,” I groan and pull my heel free. I try to walk on the balls of my stupidly high heels. I almost fall on my face.

“Do like me,” Dina yells and I look up to see her shoes dangling from her fingers. I glare at her and then lean against one of the cars parked around us and pull my shoes off. I shudder at the squish of mud between my toes when I start walking again.

“Sorry, should have told you to take ‘em off in the car,” she says without any hint of apology in her smile as I approach her.

I don’t smile back. “I can’t believe on my one night out in a year, this is where you brought me. I got dressed up.”

She only grins wider and throws her arms open in dramatic fashion. “This is East Winsome’s finest dining establishment and it’s karaoke and open mic night.”

Alarm flies up my throat and I slap a hand over my mouth. I catch my yelp just before it flies out. I didn’t pay attention to where she was taking me. I remember my last visit to this town and how fatefully terrible that turned out. And what if some of those people, Etta especially, are here tonight?

Apprehension halts my steps.

Dina turns around, her expression turning to confused concern as she walks back to where I’m standing.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, her voice devoid of all its humor.

I never told her what happened last summer, not of any of it, and I don’t want to bring it up now. But I also don’t want to walk in there and relive any of those old feelings of helplessness.

“I don’t know…I just have a bad feeling about this,” I hedge, hoping that answer will be enough.

It’s not.

She loses her concerned look and ribs me gently with her elbow.

“You need to get out more, Lizzy. There’s nothing bad in there but the service. Come on.”

I shake my head in absolute refusal. She pouts, and looks woefully between me and the door. I know I’m being a poor sport, but my stomach is in knots.

“Please? Let’ssing. Like we used to when James played. I miss it. I miss you. Pleeeease?” She bats her eyelashes at me.

“No fair using emotional blackmail on me.” Despite my furious frown, my resolve is melted by her recalling of memories that are instantly heartwarming. Those were the happiest days of my life.

“Come on.Please.Let’s at least eat dinner. If you’re not feeling it, I promise we’ll leave. But I want to serenade you, I’ve even got the song picked out and everything.” She smiles at me coquettishly and bats her eyes and I can’t help but laugh. Some of my tension falls away.

I’m being ridiculous. Dina isn’t Duke, and I’m not helpless.

“Fine,” I groan, and make a show of taking a deep breath.

“Yaaay,” she chortles and throws her arms around me.

“The food better be spectacular.” I warn as I follow her through the maze of cars to the building.

“My parents ate here once, and they loved it. And since I’m driving, you’re going to get so drunkthatwill make everything taste amazing. It’ll be like an early bachelorette party.”

I scoff. “No way. I don’t really drink and we haven’t even set a date. The wedding is ages away.”

We get to the sidewalk and stop under one of the street light like fixtures to take stock of our feet. Mine are covered in broken shards of damp grass and my toes are freckled with splatters of mud.

Up close the building looks even smaller. I look back at the parking lot. There area lotof people here. They’vegotto be violating the fire code.

“Ugh, this is terrible,” I say and try to wipe as much dirt off my feet as I can with my hands.

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